Indie Spotlight: BEER. AUTISM. HOPE.

Perhaps Homer Simpson said it best: “To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems!” In regards to today’s Indie Spotlight, the latter is most certainly true. The Beer. Autism. Hope. project is an independent documentary from director Aaron Rice, who took his 55-year-old uncle Lance on a tour of America’s breweries last year. Here’s the hook: Lance is autistic, and has spent his entire life struggling with the affliction that prevented him from leaving his home, let alone traveling around the country. Lance’s lifelong passion for America’s brewing history led to his goal of compiling a book on the subject, with the added bonus of inspiring others in the autism community. The dream was 40 years in the making, brought to fruition with the assistance of Aaron and big-name brewers from across the country that include Samuel Adams, Yuengling, Dogfish Head, Rogue, and many more.

Now the project needs your help. Your donations will not only go towards post-production on Lance’s brewery tour documentary and the editing and publishing of the book on American beer history, but they will also go towards a charity that raises awareness and provides support for families in the autism community. Hit the jump for more on the Beer. Autism. Hope. campaign.

Last year a 55 year-old brewing historian with autism named Lance Rice set out to pursue his dream to author his own American brewing history book and inspire others touched by autism – a dream 40 years in the making! We knew Lance’s story, his book and a feature length documentary about his life and journey would inspire others and lead the way to found an autism charity in Lance’s honor. However, the undertaking was enormous. Lance, who was once considered low functioning and afraid to leave home, had never traveled on his own. He also maintained rigid routines (common with autism) and lived with fears and phobias that plagued him since childhood. With careful planning and help from his nephew, Lance’s Brewery Tour began and the #BeerAutismHope project was underway! What happened next was a miracle!

News about Lance’s Brewery Tour spread quickly. As the best in American brewing learned Lance’s story, invitations for Lance came pouring in from breweries across the country and the #BeerAutismHope project grew beyond anyone’s wildest imagination! The greatest names in beer, names like Samuel Adams, Dogfish Head, Rogue, Yuengling, Miller and hundreds more, invited Lance to meet with America’s most influential brewery founders and brewmasters. What was once a 3-4 week trip turned into a once-in-a-lifetime 25,000 mile journey.

Proceeds from the Lance’s Brewery Tour documentary and book go to support Lance’s Room, a charity founded in Lance’s honor to continue the mission of #BeerAutismHope – to inspire, provide scholarships for students with autism, support for families with special needs children, job training for the disabled and help for the autism community.

By donating to this campaign you are directly helping impact and inspire those touched by autism! Your support helps us get Lance’s film into post production and onto the big screen, which is a massive undertaking (editing, sound mixing and mastering, graphic design, animation, color correction and beyond). It also helps us design, edit and publish Lance’s book. Most importantly, 20% of this campaign goes immediately to fund autism scholarships and aid the autism community for Lance’s Room regardless if our need is met or not! No matter why you give, all of this goes to autism!

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